Having MS symptoms in a dangerous place

On last night’s MS Education Network Program called, “Why is my head in a haze,” a topic came to us in the form of a call from New York. I’d like to discuss it with you here today.

Seems this caller was having a shower and could not remember what she was supposed to do next. She just couldn’t make sense of the process of turning off the water and getting out of the tub. She just stood there under the water for, what sounded like, quite some time.

Upon, finally, making sense of the whole thing, she found that she had severely burned herself in this ordeal and spent the next couple of weeks in hospital for severe burns.

The doctor/panelists surmised that she may have been experiencing some numbness of her skin and didn’t realize the water was too hot. That led to an overheating of her body, triggering the massive cognitive flare.

This may be an extreme example, or at least I hope that it is. What I’m wondering, however, is whether any of you have had an onset of an MS issue in a place that put your life, health (or that of others) in jeopardy?

Have you ever been driving when you shouldn’t have? Did your vision fail you when walking near traffic – any of those kinds of situations you’d like to share?

I know that most times, MS exacerbations come on over a period of hours or days. This caller’s case, as well as others I’ve heard, leads me to believe some of you may have had these types of frightening experiences.

It has come up in the comment sections of other postings that such discussion is nothing but fear-mongering. I counter that this is a place to learn from others’ experiences. If knowledge really is power, then this should be a place to meet such potential.

We all come and go from this site with what we need, when we need. I hope everyone understands this idea, even if some of the stories dismay.

Get the latest health updates

Thanks for signing up!

Oops!

A system error was encountered. Please try again later.

Follow us on your favorite social network!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trevis Gleason

Trevis L. Gleason is a food journalist and published author, an award-winning chef and culinary instructor who has taught at institutions such as Cornell University, New England Culinary Institute and...read more